Shazam! #14 – Josie Campbell, Writer; Emanuela Lupacchino, Artist; Trish Mulvihill, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Josie Campbell has been building on what Mark Waid set up for this universe, pulling in elements last seen in the Silver Age and giving them a modern – and often darker – twist. She’s also been exploring the backstories of the Shazam kids a little more, giving us painful flashbacks in who they were before they were members of the Vasquez family. Freddie, who is currently powerless but is playing a key role in this arc, is shown to have had a mother – but she went to prison, and her family wasn’t interested in caring for a disabled kid. This motivates him as he plays the role of mediator with King Kull of the underground dwellers, a ruthless band of carnivorous monsters who are determined to reclaim what they see as their legacy on the surface world. And as he tries to negotiate with them, he weaves a web of lies heavily rooted in his own painful past – one that comes crashing down around him.
Meanwhile, Mary is working with an unlikely ally – Uncle Dudley, who was a homeless man who Mary met while on her adventures in her solo series. Motivated by her heroism, he’s become a supporter of the unhoused and a vigilante in his own right – defending the subway with a crowbar and a whole lot of gumption. It’s a hilarious little twist on the classic character, but it’s not enough against a horde of marauding monsters – especially with the Captain out of commission. Billy has become aware that his alter ego has been hiding things from him, and feels he can’t trust him anymore. So he’s locked him away, going on a perilous journey on his own as the Captain schemes to get his way out of prison. This is a completely new dynamic for the two, and it’s not entirely clear who’s in the right here – if anyone is. This continues to be a great but very different status quo for the title.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
